Ylla|Gosney Attorneys at Law represents Oklahoma bicycle accident victims after frightening collisions. We help riders and their families demand full support from negligent drivers and their insurance companies. We want our clients to be able to afford the best medical care available so they can get back to the bike rides they love again. Our skilled Oklahoma attorneys provide free case consultations to all victims. Contact us today to make sure you understand what your case is worth.
Do I Need a Lawyer After a Bicycle Accident?
If your cycling accident only results in a few minor bumps and bruises, you may not need the help of a lawyer. However, if your frightening crash is caused by a careless driver and it leaves you with a serious injury, a lawyer is often a necessary protection. A lawyer may be able to get you substantially more to pay for your recovery from an injury.
Car insurance companies would rather not take financial responsibility for a major injury, like a broken bone, or head trauma. These types of injuries often suffered by cyclists will usually leave behind much larger medical bills. Insurance adjusters want to avoid being liable for these costs. They can rely on tactics like trying to transfer blame to the cyclist or downplaying the severity of an injury. This doubt sometimes allows them to get away with providing an inadequate settlement check to victims or no support money at all.
Your Oklahoma bicycle accident lawyer would investigate your case and the driver involved. The evidence uncovered would be used to hold an insurer fully responsible. Your lawyer then fights, through aggressive negotiation, to maximize the support you receive for your physical and financial recovery.
Bicycling Dangers on Oklahoma Streets
Oklahoma laws confirm the right of cyclists to use the lanes on almost any street in the state, the same as any driver. Unfortunately, careless drivers don’t pay the laws any mind and are often unaware of their duties to share the lanes in a safe manner.
A skilled Bicycle Accident Lawyer fully investigates the circumstances of each cycling accident and the drivers involved. All evidence is collected in case a car insurance adjuster attempts to reject a cyclist’s claim to leave the victim with zero support during a difficult and expensive recovery.
- Reckless passing – Motorists can try to pass bicyclists when there isn’t enough room and send riders off a bike. Cyclists are required to ride as far right in the right lane as possible, but if there’s no room to do so, riders have the right-of-way to utilize the whole lane. Drivers must be aware of the rider’s location and never pass when there isn’t space to safely do so.
- Speeding on residential roads – Drivers can travel too fast through neighborhoods in cities such as Oklahoma City or Tulsa. They might miss spotting a small child on a bike and causing a devastating accident.
- Drivers making left turns – This is an especially dangerous situation for cyclists as they approach an intersection and a driver is attempting a left turn. The motorist can get anxious and see a gap in traffic to begin a turn, not looking long enough to spot an oncoming rider. The entire length of the vehicle ends up in front of the bicyclist during the slow turn. Riders can smash into the metal doors or be thrown over the car.
- Drivers making right turns – Bike lanes are great ways to protect cyclists, but at some point, intersections will create hazards. Drivers wanting to make a right turn will often have to pull over into the right lane, also intruding into the bike lane. They might neglect to check mirrors and blind spots and come right over on a defenseless bicyclist.
- Dooring accidents – People parked in cars along city streets can swing their doors open wide without checking for an approaching cyclist. Those doors might block the right side of the lane, exactly where a rider will be traveling. That door becomes an obstacle that a rider crashes into or flips over.
- Reckless drivers– Oklahoma motorists can get impatient and downright aggressive at times. This can spell extreme danger for cyclists who travel with little protection. In many cases, they won’t even notice a cyclist nearby until they’ve already struck them. They don’t show the legal “duty of care” that’s required to monitor for cyclists in the lanes and slow down when they spot them.
What to Do After an Oklahoma Bicycle Accident
In the moments after your crash, if you are left well enough, it will be important to collect certain details on the scene to back up your case. Some evidence will be cleared or cleaned up as soon as you leave. Make sure you document everything if possible.
Try to secure this evidence:
- Dial 911. Get checked out by ambulance crews and give officers a full account of what happened.
- Take photos. Show your injuries, your bike, and the damage to the vehicle. Show your helmet if you were wearing one.
- Scan nearby businesses or homes for the presence of security cameras.
- Get contact information from witnesses.
- Exchange information with the at-fault driver unless an officer provides this information to you.
- Go see your own doctor in the days that follow. Get any new pain checked out, even if you’ve already been to the emergency room. Tell your doctor what happened and follow your doctor’s advice.
- Preserve any ripped, torn, or bloody clothing. Don’t throw out a damaged bike or bicycle helmet. These items will serve as powerful evidence of what you’ve been through.
What Is My Bicycle Accident Case Worth?
It will be difficult to get an accurate view of the settlement amount you might earn from a car insurance company before you’ve alerted a lawyer about the details of your case. Your lawyer will need to know the circumstances. Your lawyer will be looking at your medical charts to see how bad your injuries are and how long recovery could take. Your physical and emotional hardships are also considered.
All of these factors and more will determine how much you’ll seek from a car insurance company. After a bicycle collision, victims must receive support for as long as necessary to make a full recovery. For some injuries that result in a permanent physical disability, victims may need a lifetime of support to be able to cope with a new lifestyle and restrictions on mobility.
Your lawyer ensures that a car insurance company can’t ignore any of the damages a careless driver caused. Your attorney will be asking for compensation for these and other factors:
- Compensation for all medical bills and physical therapy costs and estimates on care that could be necessary in the years ahead.
- Long-term compensation for victims who suffer permanent physical disabilities or disfigurements.
- Support for the physical pain victims are forced to endure.
- Support for the emotional trauma victims are forced to cope with. This might include a loss of enjoyment of life if badly injured riders can’t get back on their bikes again.
- Money to pay for transportation costs to get to doctor’s appointments and to see out-of-state specialists.
- Compensation for the lost income victims suffer while out of work.
- Money to replace a bike and other property that’s been damaged.
- In the case of wrongful death, money so that families can pay for a funeral and pay off remaining medical bills. Close relatives should also get help in replacing the income the deceased can no longer provide the family. They could also ask for support for the care and guidance that will no longer be available to a spouse and children in the future.
Demanding Support for Child Bike Accident Victims in Oklahoma
Ylla|Gosney Attorneys at Law want to protect young riders who have been hurt by careless drivers. Small children on bikes can be closer to the wheels of a speeding car and endure terrible injuries. They are also more easily sent under vehicles.
Our skilled attorneys know that young victims usually require more in support than adult patients. This is because children are still growing when they suffer injuries. A broken bone may partially heal, but the damage can reappear in the years ahead. Child victims may experience problems as their bodies develop in the teen years. Surgery and physical therapy could be necessary to make sure children reach adulthood normally.
We represent parents and their children to ensure that young victims never have to worry about paying for the care they need, no matter when they experience medical issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can I wait to file a bicycle accident claim?
Two years. Bicycle accident victims have up to two years to file injury claims. Victims shouldn’t wait years though. They should allow lawyers the chance to collect fresh evidence before it disappears.
Can I get help if I was hit by an unidentified hit-and-run driver?
Yes. If a hit-and-run suspect is never found, victims can file accident claims against their own car insurance policy. Compensation would come from their uninsured motorist coverage. If cyclists don’t have car insurance, they may be covered by a family member’s policy.
Can I ask for compensation after an accident if I wasn’t wearing a bicycle helmet?
Yes. Oklahoma has no bicycle helmet mandate. The driver would still be held at fault even if you weren’t wearing a helmet. Keep in mind, that a helmet can help reduce the severity of injuries and even be life-saving in some cases.
Contact an Oklahoma Bicycle Accident Lawyer
We have an extensive background in safeguarding Oklahoma bicycle accident victims. At Ylla | Gosney Attorneys At Law, we are advocates for safe bicycle rides for every rider. We offer a free, no-obligation case review with a real Oklahoma City Bicycle Accident Lawyer. Contact us as soon as possible to schedule your free consultation.
There’s no pressure to file suit or even use our services if you decide to file. That way, you know everything you need to know before you decide.
Keep in mind that you won’t need any upfront money to hire us. We don’t accept payment unless we win your case. Then our fee comes out of the settlement you receive. We also adjust our fees to make sure you keep what you need to rebuild your life and return to the bike rides you love.
